“What can I do to help with Beckett? Do we need to find a live-in nurse or something when he comes home? How soon can we put him on a plane?” I ask no one in particular.
Caleb looks up at me, his eyes coming into focus, like he was in a whole other world. “I’ll stay with him when we go back to Vegas. The surgeon wants him here for another twenty-four hours before one of them flies home with us to monitor him on the plane.”
Studying him, I offer a weak smile. He’s exhausted. We all are. It doesn’t matter right now. None of us is going to sleep until we know for damn sure that Beckett is stable.
Hours pass, and we come and go from the room to find coffee or take a call. At one point, Quinn falls asleep in Xander’s arms. When I look over at him, he’s staring at her with so much adoration, it makes my chest ache. That’s how I feel about Ace.
She’s everything.
Myeverything.
And she’s going to be part of this family.
Preferably as soon as possible, because the only man’s last name I want her to have is mine.
As I walk out of the room to check on Ace, I run into Caleb in the hall.
“Are you good?” I ask.
Staying stoic as always, Caleb dips his chin. “I’m good. Is Lacey going to be okay?”
“She’s going to be fine. I’m glad she has Luciano.” As much as I fucking hate to admit it.
“He doesn’t seem bad,” Caleb says.
I lean against the wall of the private hallway. Wherever we are in the hospital, the only people I’ve seen other than my family are those taking care of Beckett. I’d bet Luciano made sure of that.
“He’s not. I just don’t like sharing what’s mine.” I shrug. “I love her, though. She deserves as much love as possible after the lonely life she lived.”
Caleb smirks. “Well, I think she’ll never feel lonely again in this family. Go home to her. Beckett would want you to. Especially after what she went through.”
He’s right. If my little brother were lucid enough to speak, he’d tell me to get the fuck out of here and go to her.
“If anything changes, you’ll call me right away?” I ask, even though I already know he will.
Caleb nods once, and at the same time, we head in opposite directions.
I need to see my girl.
Luciano opensthe front door when I walk up to it. He looks like he’s shaved, showered, and changed into a freshly pressed suit since I left. “She’s been asleep for about two hours. I need to leave for a while.”
Raising an eyebrow, I study him. “We’ve been awake for over twenty-four hours. Wherever you’re going can’t wait until you get some sleep?”
With his hair slicked back and his face freshly shaved, Luciano looks every part the dangerous mobster. It’s kind offucking comical how he looks like one of those mafia guys from the movies.
“I’m not much of a sleeper. I need to meet with my men for a briefing and to make sure everything is cleaned up. I’ll only be gone a few hours. Make yourself at home.”
Then he’s gone, headed down a hall I’m pretty sure leads to the garage.
Taking the stairs two at a time, I get to the second landing and head into the guest bedroom, where my angel is fast asleep.
I sit in one of the nearby armchairs and watch her, allowing myself to relax. She’s here. She’s safe. My brother is fine. Everything is going to be all right.
Ace sleeps for a long while. Eventually, I get up and undress to my underwear before I climb into bed next to her. When she immediately curls up into me, I wrap one arm around her soft waist and press a kiss on the back of her head.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispers in that honey-sweet sleepy voice of hers.
My dick aches against her ass. I’ll never get tired of this woman. It’s not just her body. Or that she’s smart and beautiful. Or that she dances like a goddess. It’s everything. Her smell. Her strength. Her heart. She’s the entire package. The best card in the deck.
